Let me start by saying…Yes, I AM doing this again! As some of you might know, I was the original publisher of the Natural Awakenings magazine when we brought it to the Upstate in April of 2009 and passed the publisher torch to Roberta in January of 2014. With its closure in May of 2020, it has left a huge void for our Natural Health and Wellness providers and businesses; so much so that the past few months, it was like someone kept slapping the back of my head, and saying “You gotta do something!”

Being a serial entrepreneur, this name, “Locally Grown” has been in the back of my head (maybe the same place where someone had slapped me, LOL!) for several years now. Creating a new local magazine from scratch wasn’t in the forefront as much as building The Locally Grown Small Business Network was. So, with that said, our “Locally Grown” journey starts here with our quarterly issue for the Summer of 2022.

Let me preface this with you knowing, that ALL of this came together in less than two months!  It was so exhilarating when stopping by our previous advertisers like LivingWell Healthcare, Palmer Holistic Dentistry, and Garner’s Natural Life; they were as excited about Locally Grown as we were! It was also exciting to discover all the new businesses like Joi Natural Wellness and Project Wellness SC that have come on board. The growth of the local farms and farmer’s markets in our area have been encouraging to say the least; so much positivity…People are READY for local interaction again!  They are craving it, they are needing it, and WE in the Upstate are ready to go Locally Grown times ten!

People have also approached me about “why print when there is digital?”  You will have access to both, but my answer is simply; you know that feeling you get when holding that paper in your hand…it helps you connect to the stories and information more…we want that community, we want to know about our local towns, we want to help each other succeed; and it’s always a good thing to relax and get off those electronics as much as possible for our mental and physical health too!

In our summer issue, we are delighted to bring you all sorts of fun articles like “Biking in the Upstate,” on page 20, as Juliet Peay takes you on a tour from types of bikes, to safety, and the future growth of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. “DIY Rain Barrel in your Backyard,” page 22, by our local aspiring homesteader, Debbie Kimmel is on my list to do (hopefully this summer) and “What’s an Ionic Footbath?” on page 19 by our Natural Health Skeptic, Liz Liokumovich is quite the eye-opener!

On page 24, The Cream of the Crop will help steer you in all the right directions to find healthy choices from our local farming community. Food grown locally is cleaner and fresher compared to food shipped from other regions; you also get to know our local farmers, and thank them for all their hard work.

As always, Locally Grown is supported solely by our advertisers, so please support them as much as you can. You can also help them by picking up a few extra copies and giving them to share with your friends and family, and don’t forget one for your car.

We are always looking for feedback on how to make each issue bigger and better, so please feel free to contact us at any time at [email protected].

Have a Bright and Joyful Summer!